Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam district medical and health department has launched a special drive to check the fire safety compliance by various hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories in the port city. The drive started following a major fire mishap at a private hospital at Jagadamba Centre in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Health officials say the district has 15 major corporate hospitals, 256 nursing homes, 327 clinics, 327 laboratories and around 200 dental clinics. District medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr. Jagadiswara Rao said earlier, hospitals and nursing homes below 15 metres in height were exempt from fire safety regulations.
But after the Ramesh Covid Hospital fire accident in Vijayawada in August 2021, which claimed 10 lives, government issued a GO making fire safety norms compulsory at all hospitals from January 1, 2022. Following the GO, 157 nursing homes obtained the fire NOC last year. This year, another 39 hospitals did so. “However, 59 nursing homes are yet to get the NOC,” Dr. Jagadiswara Rao said. He said the online procedure for renewal of registration does not accept the application without fire NOC and Arogyasri empanelment. He said only 60 hospitals have empanelled for Arogyasri. Renewal of registration will be rejected if any hospital does not empanel for Arogyasri.
Interestingly, many hospitals that could not meet all parameters for renewal of registration have converted their hospitals into clinics. The DMHO said government is serious about checking hospitals, clinics and laboratories with regard to fire NoCs. But the department is lacking staff to carry out checks more frequently. However, Health City in Arilova is free of any problems. It has around 16 major hospitals and medium nursing homes. All of them are complying with the required rules and regulations.
